Bale loading and stacking apparatus

ABSTRACT

Bale loading apparatus for loading and stacking hay bales in combination with a wagon, which is drawn therebehind and has a pluarality of longitudinal stripping fingers on the front end thereof, comprising a mobile frame adapted to be drawn forwardly by a draft vehicle, a bale support rack on said frame provided with a plurality of open ended openings in longitudinal alignment with the wagon stripping fingers and being movable between a raised bale stack receiving position and a lowered bale depositing position, lost motion draft bar connection means coupling said wagon to said frame for forward movement therewith when the frame is moved forwardly and for limited movement relative thereto when the frame is moved rearwardly and means for vertically moving the bale support rack between the raised and lowered positions when the frame is moved rearwardly to transfer the row of stacks from the rack to the wagon supported stripping fingers.

This is a division, of application Ser. No. 227,850, filed in the U.S.Patent Office on Feb. 22, 1972, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,807,579.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to bale loading apparatus, and more particularlyto apparatus which loads and stacks bales on a mobile platform, such asa wagon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With ever-increasing farm labor costs, mechanized equipment is becomingincreasingly important to profitably operate a farm. The making of hayis a farm operation which requires the expenditure of substantialamounts of work and thus increased mechanization of this operation isparticularly beneficial to the farmer. The advent of hay balers hassubstantially expedited the processing of hay, however, the movement ofthe bales from the field into a hay barn is an operation which hasheretofore required substantial manual effort.

For years, it has been common to draw a wagon behind the baler and havea worker ride on the wagon to stack the bales thereon. "Bale throw"devices have previously been mounted on the rear of a baler to throw thebales haphazardly onto a wagon which is drawn behind the baler. Althoughsuch a device eliminates the need for a man to stack the bales, therandom placement of bales does not efficiently utilize the storage spaceon the wagon.

To bale hay as quickly as possible, frequently the wagon is not pulledbehind the baler and the bales are randomly deposited on the ground. Inthis case, the hay bales must be subsequently picked off the ground andstacked on the wagon and this requires substantial time and effort.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provideapparatus for loading and stacking bales on a wagon.

It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus whichwill pick bales off the ground and stack them on a portable,longitudinal platform such that the bales are oriented lengthwisely onthe platform.

It is another object of the present invention to provide loading andstacking apparatus which will form a lateral row of stacked bales whichis transferred to the wagon.

It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus forloading rows of stacked bales on a mobile platform by lengthwiselymoving the bales in one row into engagement with a row of balespreviously transferred to the platform to move the previouslytransferred row rearwardly.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art as the descriptionthereof proceeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Bale loading and stacking apparatus comprising a portable frame movableforwardly and rearwardly in a longitudinal path of travel, means on theframe for sequentially receiving and vertically stacking bales at astacking station as the frame is moved forwardly, a bale support rack onthe frame including a plurality of laterally spaced, elongated,rearwardly opening, open-ended openings therein, and means forsequentially moving the stacks laterally from said stacking station tosaid bale support rack to form a row of stacks on said rack.

The present invention may more readily be described by reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, illustrating apparatus constructedaccording to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, side elevational view particularly illustratingbrake mechanism for preventing the bale supporting wagon frominadvertently moving rearwardly when bales are being transferredthereto;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, top plan view of apparatus constructedaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional side view, taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 3,and particularly illustrating the apparatus for raising and lowering thebale loading and stacking apparatus relative to the associated balesupport wagon;

FIG. 5 is a perspective front view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG.4;

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view illustrating the elevating platformfor vertically stacking the bales at a stacking station;

FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the apparatus for laterally movinga stack of bales from the stacking station to the support rack;

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the apparatus for stripping thebales from the elevating platform at the stacking station, and apparatusfor laterally moving a stack of bales from the stacking station to thesupport rack;

FIG. 9 is a sectional front view of the lost motion connection, takenalong the line 9--9 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is a front elevational view, taken along the line 10--10 of FIG.1, illustrating the apparatus for preventing a stack of bales fromfalling into the stacking station after they have been moved to thesupport rack;

FIG. 11 is a sectional side elevational view illustrating one of thebale supporting pickup bars of the pickup conveyor; and

FIG. 12 is a rear elevational view particularly illustrating theapparatus for stripping the bales from the stacking platform.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Apparatus constructed according to the invention includes a loading andstacking machine, generally designated 10, for picking previously baledhay bales B off the ground and stacking them in stacks S at a stackingstation, generally designated 11. The individual stacks are sequentiallylaterally transferred to a bale support rack, generally designated 8, toform a row of stacks. A wagon, generally designated W, which is drawnbehind the loading and stacking machine 10, is temporarily heldstationary while the loading and stacking machine 10 is pushedrearwardly and the bale support rack 8 is moved downwardly to depositthe row of stacks on the front of the wagon.

THE MACHINE FRAMEWORK

The loading and stacking machine 10 includes a frame, generallydesignated F, including a pair of laterally extending upper and lowerframe bars 12 and 14 spanned by a plurality of vertical support posts16. A draw tongue, generally designated D, is provided and includes adraw bar 19, adapted to be connected with a draft vehicle, such as atractor generally designated T, by a conventional hitch pin 20. Thetongue D also includes a pair of rearwardly diverging rails 18 fixed attheir rear ends to the lower frame bar 14.

The frame F is supported on a pair of road wheels 22 journaled on a pairof laterally spaced axles 24 fixed to a pair of pivot plates 26 whichare pivotally mounted on a pair of the vertical support posts 16 bypivot pins 27 (FIGS. 4 and 5). A spacer bar 28 spans the pivotal plates26 to maintain their relative lateral positions. A pair ofdouble-acting, fluid operated frame lowering cylinders 30 are mounted ona pair of brackets 32 fixed to the upper frame bar 12. The cylinders 30include piston rods 34 connected to the pivot plates 26 by pivot pins36. A manually operated valve 31 is mounted on the frame F and isprovided for directing fluid to the cylinders 30 such that the pistonrods 34 will be selectively retracted and extended to raise and lowerthe frame F on the wheels 22 between the lowered and raised positions,shown in solid and chain lines respectively in FIG. 4, for a purpose tobecome apparent hereinafter.

THE PICKUP CONVEYOR ASSEMBLY

A pickup conveyor assembly, generally designated 40, is mounted on theframe F and includes a pair of laterally spaced apart longitudinal sideframe members 42, pivotally mounted on a driven shaft 44, which isjournaled in suitable bearing support members 46 provided on the lowerframe bar 14 of the frame F. An additional idler shaft 45 is journaledby the front ends of the conveyor side frame members 42 and mounts apair of idler sprocket wheels 48. A pair of link chains 50 are trainedaround the idler sprocket wheels 48 and a pair of drive sprocket wheels52 fixed to the driven shaft 44. A plurality of bale-supporting, anglemembers 54 upon the chains 50 and include pairs of bale-engaging teeth46 for engaging the undersides of ground supporting bales B and liftingthem off the ground as they negotiate the idler sprocket wheels 48.

After a bale B has been lifted off the ground and onto the conveyorassembly 40, as the endless conveyor chains 50 continue to moverearwardly, in the direction indicated by the arrow a (FIG. 1), theteeth 50 are withdrawn from the underside of the bale B and the balemerely rests on the rearwardly traveling cross members 54.

A drive gear 55, fixed to the conveyor drive shaft 44, drives a drivechain 44a which is also trained around a gear 58 fixed to one end of anauxiliary drive shaft 59 journaled by bearing support members 60 and 62provided on the frame F. A bevel gear 64, fixed to the opposite end ofthe drive shaft 44, is driven by a complementarily beveled gear 66 whichis fixed to a longitudinal main drive shaft 70 journaled in bearings 72provided on the bracket 62. The shaft 70 is removably coupled with thepower take-off shaft 71 of the tractor T by a coupling 69.

The lateral shaft 59 mounts a star wheel type assembly 74 having aplurality of circumferentially spaced vanes 74a. The drive chain 44adrives the star wheel assembly 58 in such a direction that it willpropel a bale B, that is moved thereto by the conveyor cross members 54,rearwardly. A pair of ground engageable, conveyor supporting shoes 76are provided at the forward end of the conveyor side frame members 42for riding along the ground and a link 78 is connected between one ofthe vertical support posts 16 and one of the conveyor side members 42 tolimit the vertical travel of the conveyor when the conveyor supportshoes 76 pass over a deep ditch, or the like.

THE STACKING APPARATUS

Apparatus is provided for receiving the bales B from the pickup conveyor40 and comprises a bale-receiving platform, generally designated 80,mounted for vertical movement on the frame F by a linkage system,generally designated 82, which comprises a pair of frame-supported links84 pivoted on the frame F by a pair of pivot pins 85 and to a pair oflugs 86 depending from the platform 80 by a pair of pivot pins 87. Thelinkage system 82 includes a pair of side links 88 pivotally connectedto the frame by pivot pins 89 and to a pair of rollers 90 on theplatform 80 by pivot pins 91. An additional pair of relatively shorterside links 92 are pivotally connected to the pivot pins 87 and to thecross links 92 by a pivot pin 93 spanning the links 92. A pair ofvertical side links 94 are pivotally connected to the opposite ends ofthe links 92 by pivot pins 95 and to brackets 97 mounted on the frame Fby pivot pins 96. A single-acting, fluid-operated, cylinder 98 ismounted on the frame F and includes a piston rod 99 pivotally connectedat 101 with a bracket 102 fixed to the pivot pin 93 spanning the siderails 92.

The cylinder rod 99, when extended, will move the platform 80 from thelower bale-receiving position, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 6, to a raisedposition, illustrated in chain lines in FIG. 1, for a purpose to bepresently described. A manually operated valve 98a is provided forselectively directing fluid to the cylinder 98 so as to selectively movethe piston rod 99 in opposite directions.

Disposed above the stacking platform apparatus illustrated in FIG. 6 isa pair of stripping members, generally designated 100 (FIG. 12), forsequentially stripping the bales B supported on the raised platform 80.Each of the stripping assemblies 100 comprises a pair of strippingplates 102 and 104 hingedly connected by a hinge pin 106, the hingeplate 102 including a cylindrical section 103 rotatably mounted on apivot pin 108 fixed to the frame F. The stripper plates 104 are disposedin the path of a bale B being raised upwardly on the platform 80 so asto swing upwardly and outwardly initially about the hinge pins 106 tothe position shown at 104' and then about the piston pins 108 to theposition designated 104". The stripper plates 104 are yieldably biasedto the solid line positions by a pair of springs 104a and a pair ofchains 104b connected between the frame F and the stripper plates 104.The distance d between the plates 104 in the stripping position,illustrated in chain lines, is greater than the width w of the platform80, but less than the width w' of the bales B. The plates 102 and 104will move from the solid line positions, shown in FIG. 12, to the chainline positions 102" and 104", shown in FIG. 12 to permit the bale B andthe platform 80 to pass upwardly therebetween to the chain linepositions shown in FIG. 12. The valve 98a is then operated to retractthe piston rod 99 and move the platform 80 downwardly to the solid lineposition shown in FIG. 12. At this time, the plates 104 have alreadybeen returned, by the springs 104a, to the solid line positions shown inFIG. 12, so that they will be in the path of the bale B and will stripit from the platform 80 as the platform moves downwardly.

When a subsequent bale B is received on the platform 80, the platform 80will be moved upwardly to again swing the stripping assemblies 100 fromthe solid line positions to the chain line positions shown in FIG. 12,and to raise the first bale B held aloft by the plates 100 upwardly tovertically stack the bales. The stripping assemblies 100 engage theunderside of the second bale to hold the first and second bales aloft asthe platform 80 is lowered to receive a third bale. This operation willbe repeated until five bales have been stacked.

THE APPARATUS FOR FORMING A ROW OF STACKED BALES

Fixed to the upper frame bar 12 is a bale support rack 8 comprising aplurality of rearwardly extending support fingers 110 having open-ended,rearwardly opening spaces 112 therebetween for a purpose to be describedmore particularly hereinafter. The support fingers 110 support stacks Sof bales B sequentially moved thereto in a manner to be later described.As can be best visualized in FIG. 1, the fingers 110 are inclineddownwardly, forwardly so that the stacks S of bales B on the supportfingers will lean forwardly against a vertical frame 114 including apair of vertical side frame members 115 fixed to the upper frame bar 12and spanned by a plurality of horizontal cross frame members 116.

For moving the stacks S of bales B from the stacking station, generallydesignated 11, a pusher assembly, generally designated 126, is providedand includes a pair of vertically spaced bell cranks 124 pivoted onupper and lower cross frame members 116 by pivot pins 125. The upper andlower bell cranks 124 are connected for simultaneous composite movementby a vertical rod 120. A pusher frame, generally designated 126, isswingably mounted on the ends of the bell crank members 124 and includesa pair of vertically spaced plates 119 pivoted on the bell cranks bypins 127 and spanned by a pair of vertical bars 128. The pusher frame126 is swingably mounted on the bell crank 24 by the pivot pins 127 soas to always be substantially parallel to the stack S of bales beinglaterally transferred. If only the bell cranks 124, without the pusherframe 128, were utilized to move the stack S of bales B, the ends of thebell cranks 124 would tend to gouge the upper and lower bales as theyswing in their path of travel. The bars 128, on the other hand, willmerely slide across the side faces of the bales as bell cranks 124 movein their swinging path of travel.

A stop pin 130 is mounted on the outer cylindrical pivot 103 (FIG. 8)for limiting the return movement of the assembly 126 so that it will bein the same vertical position at the start of each stack pushing cycle.For swinging the bell cranks 124 in their paths of travel on the frameF, a doubleacting fluid-operated cylinder 120 is provided and includes apiston rod 121 connected with the lower bell crank arm 124 by a pivotpin 122. A valve 131 is provided for directing fluid to the cylinder 120so as to selectively move the piston 121 to advanced and retractedpositions.

When the fifth bale is moved to the stacking station S to complete thestack, the uppermost bale in the stack will have engaged the undersideof a stop, generally designated 132 disposed in the path of theuppermost bale, and swing it upwardly about a pivot pin 133 from thesolid line position shown in FIG. 10 to the chain line positionillustrated in FIG. 10. As is best illustrated in FIG. 7, when thepusher control cylinder 120 is actuated to swing the pusher frame 126and a stack of bales S at the stacking station 11 sidewisely onto thesupport rack 8, so that the stack is advanced beyond the far edge 132aof the stop 132, the stop will drop to its solid line position toprevent the stack of bales S from falling back into the stacking station11.

To prevent the stack S transferred onto the fingers 110 from tipping inthe opposite direction as the vehicle travels over rough terrain, aplurality of stack support gates, generally designated 134, arepivotally mounted on pivot pins 135 fixed to the frame supported crossbars 116. A plurality of torsion springs 136 react between the frame Fand the gates 134 to bias the gates 134 to the solid line positionsillustrated in FIG. 7 into the path of the stack of bales S. The stacksupport gates 134 are spaced from each other a distance substantiallyequal to the width w of a bale B. When a succeeding stack of bales S istransferred onto the support fingers 110, it will move the initial stackS a further distance sidewisely to collapse the first gate 134 about thepivot pins 135 against the force of the associated springs 136 and foldit back rearwardly against the rails 116. The two side-by-side stackswill then be held between the succeeding gate member 134 and the stopmember 132.

THE BALE SUPPORT WAGON AND DRAFT CONNECTION

A bale support wagon, generally designated W, is provided and includes abale support platform 146 supported on a pair of steerable front wheels149b, mounted on king pins 148 in the usual manner, and a pair of axlesupported rear wheels 149a (FIG. 2). The front wheels 149b are steerableby a tongue 142 which is connected to a lost motion connectionmechanism, generally designated 140, on the frame F.

The lost motion connection 140 includes a pair of longitudinal rails140a fixed to a pair of vertical posts 16 and spanned, at their forwardends, by a cross bar 140B. A connector block 147 is provided andincludes longitudinal rails 147b received in a pair of tracks 140cprovided in the side rails 140a. A bore 140d is provided in theconnector block 147 for receiving a hitch pin 147c that also passesthrough the wagon draw tongue 142.

When the tractor T backs the stacking and loading apparatus frame Frearwardly, the connector block 147, which is connected to the wagontongue 142 by the hitch pin 147c, will slide forwardly on the rails 147until it hits the forward cross-rail 140B. When the tractor subsequentlymoves the frame F forwardly, the connector block 147 will be returnedrearwardly to a position bearing against the vertical posts 16. Alocking pin p, provided in one of the longitudinal rails 140a, ismovable from a draft bar locking position, shown in solid lines in FIG.3, restraining endwise movement of the connector block 147, to a removedposition, illustrated in chain lines, permitting the connector block 147to slide on the rails 140a. A manually operated cable w is trainedaround a pulley u and is fixed to the pin p to move it between the solidand chain line positions against the force of a biasing spring n urgingit to the solid line position.

A rack 156 is provided at the front of the portable platform 146 andincludes a plurality of longitudinally extending fingers 149 which arelongitudinally staggered with the loading and stacking apparatus fingers110. The fingers 149 comprise stripping fingers which pass through theopenings 112 in the bale support rack 8 to strip the row of bales fromthe rack 8 as will presently be described.

To prevent the wagon W from inadvertently moving rearwardly when thetractor T moves the frame F rearwardly, a brake assembly, generallydesignated B (FIG. 2) is provided and includes a brake bar 150 which isdragged behind each of the rear wagon wheels 149a by a pair of towchains 152 fixed to the wagon rack 146 forwardly of the wheels 149a.There is sufficient slack in the chain 152 to prevent the bar 150 fromengaging on the tires 149a when the wagon is moving forwardly. A secondset of chains 159 is also connected with the walls 150 rearwardly of thewheel 149a and permits limited forward movement of the brake bar 150when the wagon is moved rearwardly. In the normal position, the bar 150will be in the solid line position illustrated in FIG. 2. If the wagon Winadvertently backs up as may be the case if the wagon is on a slope,the bars 150 will remain stationary, however, the wagon wheels 149a willcontinue to back up until it engages the member 150, as shown in chainlines in FIG. 2, to prevent further rearward movement of the wagon.Vertical side posts 160 are mounted at opposite ends of the wagon andside chains 162 span the posts to prevent the load of bales from tippingsidewisely off the wagon.

THE OPERATION

The draft tongue D of the stacking apparatus is connected to the tractorT by a draw pin 20 and the tongue 142 of the wagon W is connected to theconnection bar 147 of the lost motion connection mechanism 140 by a drawpin 147c. The tractor is then driven forwardly to pull the frame F andthe wagon W in a longitudinal forward path of travel in such a mannerthat a conveyor 40 will be longitudinally aligned with a bale B on theground. The teeth 56 on the conveyor will penetrate the bale B and liftit upwardly and rearwardly on the chains 50 and the support members 54which move the bale upwardly as shown in FIG. 1. As the bale negotiatesthe uppermost chain drive sprockets 52 of the conveyor 40, it willengage the star wheel assembly 58 and be batted rearwardly onto theloading platform 80.

The manually operated valve 98a is operated to direct fluid to the baleelevating cylinder 98 in such a manner as to extend the piston 99 andmove the bale support platform 80, and the bale B supported thereon,upwardly from the solid line position, illustrated in FIG. 1, to aposition above the bale stripping fingers 102 and 104. As the bale B ismoved upwardly, the stripping plate assemblies 100 swing between thesolid line and chain line positions shown in FIG. 12 to permit the baleB to be moved to the chain line position illustrated in FIG. 12. Thebale elevating control valve 98a is then operated to permit fluid in thebale elevating cylinder 98 to pass to the reservoir as the weight of thebale and the platform force the piston 99 to retract and lower the balesupport platform 80 between the stripper plates 102 and 104. As the balesupport platform 80 moves downwardly, the bale B is stripped therefromby the stripping fingers 100 which have been returned to the solid lineposition by the springs 104a and held aloft in the raised position. Asecond bale, picked up by the conveyor assembly 40, is delivered to thebale support platform 80 which is again elevated to swing the strippingfingers outwardly to the chain line positions and raise the first baleto a still higher position. The second bale, which is moved to the chainline position shown in FIG. 12, is stripped from the platform 80 by thestripping fingers 100 to hold the first and second bales in stackedrelation. This operation is repeated until a stack of five bales issupported on the stripping fingers 102 and 104.

The valve 131 is then actuated to advance the pusher control piston 120to swing the pusher frame 126 from a position engaging the stop 130 tothe stack advancing position illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. As the stackof bales S is moved sidewisely by the pusher frame 126 onto the balesupport rack 8, the vertically swingable stop member 132, which isinitially swung upwardly from the solid line position to the chain lineposition as the stack is formed, will then swing downwardly behind thetrailing edge of the stack of bales to prevent its sidewise movementback into the station 11. Successive stacks of bales are moved onto thebale support rack 8 to push the stacks previously moved theretosidewisely and successively collapse the swingable stack holding gates134.

When a complete row has been provided on the support fingers 110, thecable w is pulled to move the connector block holding pin p to a removedposition and the tractor T is backed up so that the fingers 110 aregenerally superposed with the wagon stripping fingers 149. The wagon W,which is not driven rearwardly because of lost motion connectormechanism 140, is positively prevented from inadvertently movingrearwardly by the brake bar members 150. The valve 31 is then operatedto move the frame position control pistons 34 so as to permit the wheels22 to pivot upwardly about the pins 27 so that the frame F will lowerand the bale supporting fingers 110 will pass downwardly between thewagon supported stripping fingers 149. As is readily apparent, when thepistons 34 are retracted and the wheel mounting plates 26, are thuspivoted about the pivot pins 27, the frame F will drop verticallydownwardly while maintaining the horizontal orientation of the balesupport rack 8 substantially constant. The tractor T is then movedforwardly to move the frame F forwardly and when the draw bar 147reaches the rearward end of its slide, the wagon W will also be drawnforwardly. The frame elevating cylinder 30 is operated to extend thepiston 34 and the wheels 22 will move from the chain line position,illustrated in FIG. 4, to the solid line position, illustrated in FIG.4, so that the frame F moves upwardly relative to the wagon W. The haybales B are stacked lengthwisely on the wagon rack 146 and will noteasily tip off the front or rear ends of the wagon.

The operation will be repeated until a second row of stacked bales isprovided on the fingers 110 and the tractor T and the frame F will againbe moved rearwardly. As is best illustrated in FIG. 1, the ends 110a ofthe fingers 110 will engage the stacks S' of bales B on the wagon W tomove the stack S' rearwardly and allow for the newly formed stacks S tobe transferred thereto. This operation is repeated until the wagon iscompletely filled with stacks of bales.

It is to be understood that the drawings and descriptive matter are inall cases to be interpreted as merely illustrative of the principles ofthe invention, rather than as limiting the same in any way, since it iscontemplated that various changes may be made in various elements toachieve like results without departing from the spirit of the inventionor the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. Bale loading and stacking apparatus comprising:a mobileplatform, such as a wagon or the like, for supporting stacks of balesand adapted to be moved forwardly in a longitudinal path of travel, saidplatform having a plurality of longitudinally extending, laterallyspaced apart stripping fingers thereon; a portable framework adapted tobe moved forwardly in a longitudinal path; a plurality of longitudinallyextending, laterally spaced support members on said framework havingrearwardly opening, open-ended slots therebetween longitudinally alignedwith the stripping fingers; draft bar connection means connecting saidplatform to said framework for longitudinal forward movement therewithbut permitting relative movement of said platform and said frameworkbetween spread and less spread positions to move said fingers and saidsupport members between longitudinally spaced and generally superposedpositions; means for delivering a plurality of stacks of bales to saidsupport members to form a row of bale stacks thereon when the platformand framework are in said longitudinally spread positions; and means forvertically moving at least one of said support members and said fingersrelative to the other to pass said support members through the openingson said framework and transfer said row of stacked bales from saidsupport members to said fingers when said wagon and said support membersare in said superposed positions.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinsaid laterally spaced support members engage and rearwardly move theimmediately preceding row of stacks transferred to the platform.
 3. Theapparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said wagon includes a brakeassembly for preventing rearward movement of the platform when theportable framework moves rearwardly but automatically releasing topermit forward movement of the platform.
 4. Bale loading and stackingapparatus comprising:a portable frame movable forwardly and rearwardlyin a longitudinal path of travel; a bale support rack on said frameincluding a plurality of laterally spaced, elongated, rearwardlyopening, open ended openings therein; a mobile platform for receivingstacks of bales from said rack including bale stripping members at theforward end of said platform longitudinally aligned with said openings;and means for selectively coupling said mobile platform and said framefor concurrent forward movement in longitudinally spaced positions andfor selectively decoupling said platform and frame to permit said frameand rack to move longitudinally, bodily forwardly independently of saidplatform, said coupling means including lost motion draft bar connectionmeans permitting relative longitudinal movement of the coupled frame andplatform to less spread positions to superpose said rack above saidplatform so that bales supported by said rack can be transferred to saidbale stripping members.
 5. Bale loading and stacking apparatuscomprising:a portable frame, movable forwardly and rearwardly in alongitudinal path of travel, having a bale support rack for supportingstacks of bales; a bale platform, adapted to be drawn forwardly by saidframe, for receiving stacks of bales from said rack and supporting saidstacks of bales; means for selectively coupling said platform and saidframe for concurrent forward bodily movement when said frame is movedforwardly and for selectively decoupling said platform and frame topermit said frame and rack to move bodily forwardly independently ofsaid platform, said coupling means including means coupling saidplatform and frame for limited relative longitudinal bodily movementwhen said frame is moved longitudinally rearwardly to move balesrearwardly to positions overlying said mobile platform, and meansmounting said rack for vertical movement between a raised position and alowered position to deposit the stacked bales on said platform when saidrack is moved rearwardly to said position overlying said platform. 6.Bale loading and stacking apparatus comprising:a mobile platform, havinga bale support rack for supporting stacks of bales; a portable framemovable longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly in a longitudinal pathof travel; means for selectively coupling said mobile platform to saidportable frame for longitudinal movement therewith in longitudinallyspaced positions and for longitudinal movement relative thereto to lessspaced positions and for selectively decoupling said platform and frameto permit said frame to move longitudinally bodily forwardlyindependently of said platform; and means on said platform for strippingthe row of stacks from said rack when said portable frame and saidplatform are in said less spaced positions.